Who we are
Utility Matchmaker is a trading name of IOM Digital Design Limited, registered in the Isle of Man. We operate the website at utilitymatchmaker.co.uk.
As the operator of this website, IOM Digital Design Limited is the data controller for personal data collected through this site. If you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, contact us using the contact form.
We are committed to handling your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
What data we collect
We collect a small amount of data when you use this site. The data we collect depends on how you interact with us.
Data you provide directly
If you use the contact form on this site, we collect:
- Your name
- Your email address
- The content of your message
If you submit your email address to be notified when the site launches or to receive energy switching information, we collect:
- Your email address
We do not collect your postcode, address, or any billing information on this site. If you enter a postcode to compare energy tariffs, that takes place on TheEnergyShop's platform and is subject to their privacy policy. We never see or store the data you enter on their platform.
Data collected automatically
When you visit this site, certain data is collected automatically by us and by third-party services we use. This includes:
- Your IP address (anonymised where possible)
- The type of browser and device you are using
- The pages you visit on this site and the time you spend on them
- The website or search engine that referred you to this site
- The links you click, including clicks to our partner comparison link
- Approximate geographic location (country and region level, derived from your IP address)
This data is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies. See the Cookies section below for more detail.
How we use your data
Contact form submissions
If you contact us through the contact form, we use your name and email address to respond to your enquiry. We do not use contact form data for marketing purposes unless you have separately requested to receive communications from us.
Legal basis: legitimate interests (responding to a request you have made to us).
Email notifications and marketing
If you have provided your email address to receive energy switching information or site launch notifications, we use it only for that purpose. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us directly.
Legal basis: consent (you provided your email address for this purpose).
Analytics and site improvement
We use Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors use this site. This helps us improve content, identify technical issues, and understand which pages are most useful to visitors.
The data collected through these tools is aggregated and anonymised where possible. We do not use analytics data to identify individual visitors.
Legal basis: legitimate interests (understanding and improving our website to serve visitors better), subject to your cookie consent preferences.
Affiliate tracking
When you click through to our partner comparison platform (TheEnergyShop), a referral tracking mechanism records that the click originated from Utility Matchmaker. This allows TheEnergyShop to attribute any completed energy switch to us for commission purposes.
This tracking does not involve us collecting any personal data from you. The data recorded is a click event associated with our affiliate identifier, not with your personal identity.
Legal basis: legitimate interests (operating our referral business model as disclosed in our affiliate disclosure).
Cookies
This site uses cookies, small text files stored on your device by your browser. We use the following categories of cookie:
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are required for the site to function correctly. They cannot be disabled. They include cookies set by our hosting provider (Vercel) for load balancing and security. No personal data is stored in these cookies beyond what is technically necessary to deliver the site.
Analytics cookies
With your consent, we set cookies from Google Analytics 4 to collect anonymised usage data about how visitors interact with the site. These cookies track pages visited, session duration, referral source, and similar non-personal behavioural data.
Google Analytics data is processed by Google LLC under their data processing terms. Google may transfer data outside the UK. For more information see policies.google.com/privacy
With your consent, we also use Microsoft Clarity, which records anonymised session data including heatmaps and click patterns. Data is processed by Microsoft Corporation. For more information see privacy.microsoft.com
Preference cookies
If you interact with our cookie consent banner, a cookie is set to remember your preferences so we do not ask again on subsequent visits.
Third-party cookies (TheEnergyShop)
When you click through to TheEnergyShop's comparison platform, their site may set its own cookies on your device subject to their own cookie policy. We do not control these cookies. They are set only after you leave our site and enter theirs.
Managing cookies
You can control and disable non-essential cookies at any time through the cookie settings on this site or through your browser settings. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use any feature of this site.
Third parties we share data with
We do not sell your personal data to any third party.
We share data with the following third-party services in the course of operating this site:
Google LLC
Google Analytics 4 processes anonymised site usage data on our behalf. Google is certified under appropriate international data transfer mechanisms. We have enabled IP anonymisation in our Google Analytics configuration. Data processing agreement: in place with Google.
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Clarity processes anonymised session recording data on our behalf. Data processing agreement: in place with Microsoft.
Vercel Inc
Vercel hosts this website and processes server request logs including IP addresses as part of normal hosting operations. These logs are retained for a short period for security and diagnostic purposes.
TheEnergyShop (Energy Services Online Limited)
When you click through to compare energy tariffs on TheEnergyShop's platform, you enter their website as a separate data controller. Any data you provide to TheEnergyShop, including your postcode, address, and energy usage details, is processed by them under their own privacy policy, available at theenergyshop.com
We pass only an affiliate identifier to TheEnergyShop when you click through. We do not pass any personal data about you.
Email service provider
If you have subscribed to receive energy switching information by email, your email address is stored with our email service provider for the sole purpose of sending you those communications. Your email address is not used for any other purpose and is not shared with any other party.
Data retention
We retain different categories of data for different periods:
Contact form data: we retain messages and associated contact details for up to 12 months from the date of your enquiry, or until the matter is resolved, whichever is sooner.
Email subscriber data: we retain your email address until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Analytics data: Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity retain data for the periods defined in their respective products. We have configured Google Analytics 4 with a data retention period of 14 months.
Server logs: Vercel retains server logs for a short period (typically 30 days) for security and diagnostic purposes.
Affiliate click data: click-through tracking data is retained by TheEnergyShop's affiliate system for the period necessary to attribute and pay commissions, typically up to 6 months.
Your rights under UK GDPR
Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
Right of access: you have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: if data we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to correct it.
Right to erasure: you have the right to ask us to delete your personal data where there is no legitimate reason for us to continue processing it.
Right to restrict processing: you have the right to ask us to suspend processing of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to object: you have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. We will stop processing unless we have compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests.
Right to data portability: where we process your data by automated means on the basis of your consent or a contract, you have the right to receive it in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent as the legal basis for processing, you can withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before the withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the contact form. We will respond within 30 days. For complex requests we may extend this by a further 60 days and will notify you if we do.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection.
ICO website: ico.org.uk
ICO helpline: 0303 123 1113
We would ask that you contact us in the first instance so we have the opportunity to address your concern before you escalate to the ICO.
Children
This site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided personal data through this site, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data practices, the services we use, or changes in UK data protection law. The effective date and last reviewed date at the top of this page will be updated when changes are made.
Material changes will be noted on this page. Your continued use of the site after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact us
For any questions about this privacy policy or to exercise your data rights, contact us using the contact form.
Utility Matchmaker is a trading name of IOM Digital Design Limited, registered in the Isle of Man.